3 Tips to Create and Achieve Your Best Self in 2017

In this blog post, we investigated a peak experience of our life in order to become familiar with our Inner Hero. Let’s invite our Inner Hero to reflect back over the past year, and see what self-truths they have to offer to enable us to clarify our 2017 goals.

Struggle #3: Living with a stranger

The majority of us do not list “Get to know myself better” as one of our top life priorities. While it’s common to get to know ourselves as we age, or due to a major life disruption, most of us simply don’t know how to begin the work required to increase our self-awareness.

The difficulty with this is that it results in a deep sense of disconnect to the one person that we are “stuck” with our entire life – ourselves! In addition, we may create inauthentic goals for ourselves that we aren’t as motivated to achieve.

Reflect back over 2016 like a movie reel being played in your mind. Notice any moments that particularly stand out and write them down, being brave to list both the positive and negative highlights.
(Tip: If you have a hard time collecting memories, browse back through your camera roll or calendar from 2016.)

After you have listed at least 6 significant memories from last year, dig deeper. Utilizing the perspective of your Inner Hero, consider your list using the following inquiries:

How can I use these moments from 2016 to help teach me what I want “more of” in 2017? Write down what you want more of.

How can I use these moments from 2016 to help teach me what I want “less of” in 2017? Write down what you want less of.

Reflecting on each of these moments. What were the characteristics of the person I was choosing to be in 2016? Write down these characteristics.

Michelle in 2016: Stuck in ‘waiting mode,’ full of ideas but hesitant to act, adaptable, grieving, knowing, secure.

Now, using your lists of what you want more of, what you want less of, and the personal characteristics of the person you chose to be in 2016, brainstorm the personal qualities of the person you will choose to be in 2017 using intentional phrasing.

Here’s my list:
In 2017, I will choose to take action with the intention of moving forward.

In 2017, I will choose to believe that all roads lead to somewhere significant and that no experience is wasted.

In 2017, I will choose to be kind, gracious, thoughtful, and believe the very best about myself and others.

In 2017, I will choose to let go of the things and people I no longer have, and focus on the things and people currently in my life.

In 2017, I will choose to create an atmosphere of positivity, lightness, and hope wherever I go.

In 2017, I will share my feelings of love and admiration without delay and with deep purpose.

How does it feel to take ownership of who you are going to be in 2017? What aspirations does it awaken in you for the year ahead?